Major shift put in by the U's on Saturday to beat Pools.
I wonder how Mr Skarz will be feeling this morning! Big decision, a big gamble
but it paid off. MacDonald left nothing on the pitch too with a typical
energetic display. Some of the walking wounded are getting back to fitness.
Back to the H'pool game, I thought for large parts of it we looked in control which given the number of players returning from injury was pleasing. However, our inability to kill them off from the numerous chances created looked like it would cost us. What is going on with Lunny at the moment, we looked much poorer after he came on, he was sitting much too deep which resulted in us playing deep and a big gap between the strikers and midfield. After a three game rest I thought he'd come back full of energy for the last push - is he injured?
Good to see the crowd largely stay with them though.
Special mention for Macca who was immense after being very ill this week, Skarz who coped very well despite only being at 80% fitness and Maguire and Hylts who have really stepped up to the plate of late.
Good to have Jake Wright back as well - really missed his reading of the game, and with Chey winning EVERYTHING alongside him we looked very solid.
Steely performance from the Us, full of guts, passion and will to win.
Hartlepool were a decent side, well organised if a little lacking in finesse. They had a couple of players that would get into most league 2 sides. The ginger haired #14 springs to mind.
How the club and the players themselves got Skarzy, Macca, COD and Roofe fit is astonishing, and I was very worried before the game that one or more of them might end up much worse off. But the gambles, if that is what they were, paid off.
We had a team of semi-crocked players with enough experience and skill to overcome Hartlepool. Every time Skarz went to play the ball down the line it looked as though he didn't want to use full power, and I winced each time hoping he wasn't doing himself harm.
Maguire was top class as well and having Jake back made a big difference keeping the back line calm and very solid.
Hopefully the 7 days between games will be enough to increase the fitness of the players sufficiently to take on a tough Carlisle side on their patch, in potentially very cold conditions.
Big shout out to Ruffels who has (rightly sometimes) come in for some stick for lack of effort. Not this time. He covered a lot of distance and broke up the Hartlepool play superbly. He's never going to be a crème de la crème type player, but as a defensive midfielder he does a job.
Its an impressive set of players we have playing for us, in more ways than one.
Attended the Legends Lunch on Saturday so I watched the game from the South Stand for a change. It was interesting to have a better view of the midfield section of the game than I normally get from behind the goal. Thought Macca's contribution was outstanding considering the week he'd had. Maguire gave a 90 minute performance, which hasn't always been the case. Dunkley was impressive at the back. Round of applause for all those playing through the pain barrier.